Afghan videotape playing role in Singapore terror probe

Asian Political News, Jan 14, 2002

SINGAPORE, Jan. 11 Kyodo

A videotape discovered in the rubble of an al-Qaida organization leader's house in Afghanistan is providing valuable evidence in the investigation by Singapore's Internal Security Department (ISD) of 15 suspected terrorists arrested in the city state last month, the government revealed Friday.

The tape, which has a voice-over by one of the men detained in the December sweep, apparently outlines plans by the alleged terror cell to attack U.S. citizens in Singapore as long ago as 1997.

For unknown reasons, however, the plans were never acted upon.

The government released a short video clip and a transcript of the tape in which it appears the narrator is describing how to target U.S. military personnel and buildings in Singapore.

Speaking about a temple near a local commuter-train station often used by U.S. military personnel, the narrator says: ''It would not be suspicious to have a motorcycle or a bicycle there...you will notice some boxes placed on the motorcycle...these are the same type of boxes that we intend to use.''

Although the man never specifically outlines what ''use'' a box would be, speculation is he was talking about an antipersonnel bomb.

He also says: ''You will notice that there is a drainage hole that might be useful,'' again an apparent reference to spot to place an explosive device.

The ISD first learned of the tape on Dec. 14 and obtained a copy Dec. 28. It is seen as bolstering the investigation of the cell that began soon after the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on the United States.

The arrests of the 15 suspects took place from Dec. 9 to 24.

The government also said Friday it is seeking the repatriation of a Singaporean of Pakistani descent who was arrested by the Northern Alliance in Afghanistan last year.

The government statement, which also released details of those arrested and their activities, said 13 of them will be detained for two years under Singapore's Internal Security Act, which provides for detention without trial.

The other two have been released on strict conditions because their involvement did not seem to go beyond donating funds.

Those arrested are aged between 27 and 51, and included managers and supervisors, drivers, technicians and businessmen.

The statement said one of the cells ''started exploring terrorist targeting in Singapore as early as 1997. They conducted target surveillance of locations that were frequented by Americans in Singapore.''

Analysts said Singapore's close political, economic and military ties with the U.S. makes it a likely terrorist target.

The U.S. is one of the biggest investors in Singapore, and the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in 1990 for U.S. warships to berth here for repair and refueling, and for U.S. warplanes to be deployed here on a rotational basis.

There are also about 15,000 Americans in Singapore and 1,400 U.S. companies.

The statement said the organization members had two well-developed plans.

One of their bomb targets was a regular shuttle bus service conveying U.S. military personnel between a commuter-train station and a wharf in northern Singapore.

However, the plan did not arouse sufficient interest from the al-Qaida militant network leadership.

''The al-Qaida leaders showed interest in the plan, but for reasons not known they did not subsequently pursue it,'' the statement noted.

Another plan was a bomb attack against U.S. naval vessels berthed in Singapore's waters.

The authorities found a list of 200 U.S. companies in Singapore in the possession of one of those arrested, of which three were targeted for terror strikes.

One of the members, Andrew Gerard, 34, a technician at Singapore Technologies Aerospace, was born a Christian but converted to Islam, He is alleged to have taken photos of Paya Lebar Airbase in Singapore, which is being used by U.S. military planes deployed here.

The statement said he took photographs of ''Paya Lebar Airbase and the American aircraft there as a potential target for terrorist attack.''

The Singapore cell was approached by some foreigners soon after the suicide attacks in the U.S. last year to help bomb some targets in Singapore, including the U.S. Embassy, the Australian High Commission, the British High Commission, the Israeli Embassy, American companies and also Singapore's military complex, the statement said.

These foreigners included an Arab man believed to be linked to al-Qaida and a Filipino who is a bomb-maker with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in the Philippines. They allegedly asked the Singapore cell to obtain for them 21 tons of ammonium nitrate for construction of several truck bombs.

The statement said eight of those detained had gone to Afghanistan for training in al-Qaida training camps.

All the 13 men detained are members of a clandestine organization called ''Jemaah Islamiyah,'' which is said to be part of a larger network with cells in Malaysia and Indonesia.

The Singapore organization contained cells for fundraising, religious work, security and operations.